


Omnes Innocentes Defende

by holdyourbreathfornow



Series: Family of Three [11]
Category: Half-Life VR but the AI is Self-Aware - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe, Dairy Queen, Harassment of a disabled person, Karen deluxe, Multi, entitlement, public harassment
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-12
Updated: 2020-10-12
Packaged: 2021-03-07 22:35:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,373
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26975248
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/holdyourbreathfornow/pseuds/holdyourbreathfornow
Summary: When spring first blooms, the G-Man doesn’t really think much of it.  Most of his time is spent mired in the darkness of the world, twisting from shadow to shadow without nary a thought spared toward the brightness of the season.
Relationships: Gordon Freeman/Tommy Coolatta, The G-Man & Gordon Freeman, The G-Man & Tommy Coolatta
Series: Family of Three [11]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1918150
Comments: 27
Kudos: 218





	Omnes Innocentes Defende

When spring first blooms, the G-Man doesn’t really think much of it. Most of his time is spent mired in the darkness of the world, twisting from shadow to shadow without nary a thought spared toward the brightness of the season.

His son, as usual, is the cause of his shifting thoughts on the matter. Tommy, as he prefers to be called, flourishes in the warmth of spring. G-Man doesn’t have ridiculous amounts of free time, but he tries to spend as much time as he can with Tommy and the rest of the ‘Science Team’.

Today’s outing is a perfect example. Tommy and… Gordon, he has to remind himself, had both been dragged along for a day out. Benrey’s in the middle of shedding their winter coat, and Harold and Bubby are cleaning the entire house from top to bottom. The G-Man wonders if normal houses also participate in this tradition of ‘Spring Cleaning’.

Regardless, he focuses back on the events around him. He and Gordon sit across from each other at a slightly uncomfortable vinyl booth. Tommy’s up at the counter, waiting to get 

“So…” Gordon says finally, his gaze darting to G-Man. “What kind of pay does a government man get?”

“Not... Nearly enough.” The G-Man folds his hands with a small amount of pride when that causes Gordon to chuckle.

“Well, then, I guess it’s not a job I’d wanna take.” He laughs and G-Man shrugs.

“I wouldn’t sssssay it’s. A job you ‘get’. I was… Born for it.”

“Is-“ Gordon blinks and looks concerned. “Are you serious?”

“Com… Pletely.” The G-Man nods and Gordon slowly nods his own head as he processes.

“Alright. That, uh, explains a fair amount.” Gordon grins and sets his prosthetic arm on the table, flipping one of the panels open and pulling a tool kit from a pocket on his dress. He glances back up at the G-Man suddenly. “Sorry, I forgot to ask if you were fine with me doing this on the table?”

“I do not… Mind. Though I do find mysssself. Curioussss.”

“Ah, I’m just tweaking the sensors on one of the fingertips. It keeps overwhelming me so I’m turning it down slightly. Black Mesa’s technology isn’t very… User-friendly, all the time.”

“Agreed.” The G-Man says simply. “Though… I will not repeat. That sentiment to my employersssss.” Gordon nods again, but before he can say anything, a voice pipes up from the end of the table.

“Why do ya have a robot arm?” Both men turn their heads simultaneously. A short kid stands at the edge of their table, eyes just barely tall enough to see over the table.

“Uh…” Gordon laughs nervously while the G-Man just stares at the small human. “I lost my real arm.”

“How?” The kid asks and Gordon takes a bracing breath. The G-Man begins to wonder if he should intervene.

“That’s a messy story, kid. Where’s your fa-?”

“Leonard!” A much shriller voice breaks into the conversation as a woman marches over. Her lacquered nails wrap around the boy’s shoulder. “Leonard, are you harassing these men?” She hasn’t glanced at them yet, gaze focused entirely on her child, who’s squirming in her grip. 

“Mom, look at his arm!” The boy, Leonard, squeaks, and her gaze finally shifts. It falls on Gordon’s arm and she squawks in outrage, reaching forward. Gordon must have disabled movement because the arm hangs limply in her arm, Gordon hissing in pain as he’s dragged along with it, sprawling awkwardly across the cracked vinyl of the booth.

“M-ma’am, please let go.” Gordon stammers, but his voice is faint and fear is bright in his eyes. The G-Man knows he needs to intervene now.

“Miss, you’re… Hurting him. Release his arm.”

“I can’t hurt this!” The woman shakes the arm and the G-Man gets to his feet, pulling the woman’s hand away before anyone other than him can blink. He wonders if Tommy noticed his slight manipulation of time. “His arm’s not even real! Tell him to put it away, he’s scaring my son!”

“Ma-!” The child tries to speak, but the woman hushes him with cloying sweetness.

“Hush, baby, Mama’s telling the freaks to leave.” Gordon’s hunching in on himself, his back pressed against the wall and his face hidden by his loose hair, and the G-Man has finally had enough. He looks at the boy.

“Is anyone else here with you?” He asks and the child nods, pointing to where a man is coming into the dining room with a tray overflowing with food. He looks around the room, and when his eyes land on their group, all the blood drains from his face. He throws his food down and runs over to them, grabbing his wife by the shoulders.

“I-I’m so sorry! What did she do?”

“She was assaulting my… Son, so I. Am going to press chargesssss.”

“Fuck you!” The woman shrieks, trying to lunge at the G-Man only to be pulled up short by the man the G-Man assumes is her husband.

“Christ, Loretta, what did you _do_?” The man hisses.

“The freak with the fake arm was scaring Leonard!” Loretta spits and the man turns to Leonard.

“Is that true?”

“N-no, I like his arm! And-and it’s a robot, and I wanted to watch him fix it.” The boy seems to be crying now, and the G-Man feels his rage towards this insane woman increase. She’s defending her own hatred, not her son’s fear. She’s a terrible parent.

“Dad?” Tommy’s voice rings out and he pushes his way through the crowd beginning to surround them. His eyes widen as he takes the scene in. “Fuck, Gordon?” Tommy carefully sets the drinks down and slides over the vinyl seat to Gordon, deliberately positioning himself to guard Gordon from anyone trying to look at or attack him again. This leaves the G-Man free to operate. He straightens to his full height and at about seven and a half feet, that’s intimidating enough. 

“If you… Wouldn’t mind, I want you. To stay here until… Some colleagues of mine can. Get here.”

“Uh…” The man looks up at G-Man, fearful. “Uh, no problem, sir.”

“Excellent. Leonard… Was it? I would like. To give you some money so you may… Get an ice cream. I know I can look… Frightening.”

“It’s okay! You don’t scare me.” Leonard sniffs and wipes at his eyes a little. “I’m, uh, sorry about my mom. I didn’t know she would… Do that.”

“It issss most assuredly… Not your fault.” The man drags Loretta over to a booth on the other side of the restaurant with Leonard darting after them, and the G-Man turns to Tommy. “Issss Gordon. Alright, Tommy?”

“Yeah. He, uh, he will be.” Tommy sighs and pulls Gordon a little closer. The G-Man turns away to grab their drinks and set them out. Gordon stirs a little in Tommy’s arms, pulling away and sitting up. There are dried tear tracks on his face, but he looks almost composed, except for the way he keeps looking at the G-Man before his gaze jumps away again.

“Issss there something. Wrong, Gordon?” The G-Man asks and Gordon takes a deep breath.

“Did you mean it?” He asks, and both the G-Man and Tommy blink in confusion. “You told that man I was your son, did you mean it?” He’s rushing his words out, obviously nervous.

“Oh.” The G-Man says and Tommy hides a grin behind his hand, eyes dancing with mirth. “Of… Course I meant it. You may not- Your own fatherssss are your parentssss but I do consider. All of you a part of my… Family.”

“Okay.” Gordon smiles as well even as he reaches up and scrubs at his face. “I, uh, really appreciate that. And you defending me from that... evil woman.”

“Of course. For now, though. If you do not… Want your Dairy Queen ‘Blizzard’, I will. Take it.”

“Nope, it’s mine.” Gordon pulls his ice cream a little closer to himself and grins as Tommy breaks into laughter next to him. “Nice try.” The G-Man shrugs, hiding his own smile by looking down and poking at his own ice cream. 

Perhaps he should join his son’s spring outings more often.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! Come say hi over on Tumblr @ holdyourbreathfornow!  
> Edited as of 10/13/20. I used the term ‘psycho’ to describe the woman, not even bothering to consider the effect this could have on people who are psychopathic and villainized in a way they shouldn’t be. I sincerely apologize for this and will work on my writing to prevent mistakes like this happening in the future.


End file.
